Within a Dream
by SexiBitet
Summary: The Winchesters paid a high price to kill the demon, and just when Dean is dealing, Sam drops a bombshell on him, that confirms the fact that what is dead does not want to stay dead.
1. Chapter 1

Well Folks this is the much awaited sequel to beneath my skin I hope you all enjoy this one as much as you did that one.

Summary – Sequel to Beneath my Skin, Dean has just lost Max and when both him and Sam think they cant get any lower a whole new evil comes to town, and what's dean just doesn't no how to stay dead.

Within a Dream

_Dean_

_If you're reading this then Jo did her job, and I managed to end things once and for all. I know your probably thinking why did things have to be this way, that there was some other way to kill the demon, and there probably was but I wasn't going to risk our amulets being the only thing that could kill it, I wasn't going to risk messing up._

_You haven't mourned yet Dean you probably never will, Sam is worried sick about you, you lost me Dean they all did don't let your brother lose you to, hell beat up your car again If you have to or break your knuckles on a punch bag but please don't push Sam away._

_There are so many things I can tell you, so many things I wish I had done but one thing I wish beyond everything is that I hadn't waited as long as I did, that I had told you how much I love you, how much you meant to me._

_Your meant more to be then you could ever imagine, I love you Dean Winchester and some day you are going to make someone else as happy as you made me._

_Don't cut yourself of Dean, mourn me and move on, find love again, after all you are the ladies man._

_I love you Dean Winchester more then you will ever understand._

_I love you all but its time to let go_

_Max_

Dean looked down at the paper in his hands and sighed he had read the letter over thirty times trying to find some hidden meaning, he was sure that she was trying to tell him something and he feared he had missed something.

He knew the letter word for word knew the perfect curl in her y's the way she didn't dot her I's. he put the letter back in to his journal and sighed, everything she said was completely true, he hadn't mourned he hadn't even cried at her funeral.

He was pushing every one further away from him, he was locked in his room for most of the day and when he wasn't he was out training or hunting. Sam was more then concerned for him, he had voiced it on more then one occasion, and he had just smiled and said he was fine.

But Dean knew he was far from fine he wasn't sleeping at night his dreams plagued by Max, by that night had watched her but a bullet though her head. For the first couple of nights he had watched her die tried in so many times to stop it, but it always ended the same, her blood on his hands.

It was a week after her death that the dreams had taken a different turn, he had started seeing snippets of things, of the life they could have lead If she hadn't died that day, but even that life didn't last, it was soon replaced my fire and brimstone and screams of pain, begging for help.

He even caught glimpse of Max, her happy smiling face covered in dirt tears streaming down her face as she looked at him begging for him to help her to save her from the fate she had found.

But he never could every time he tried to help her she would just disappear and he would wake up in a cold sweat his entire body shaking from the after shocks of the dream, his body soaked with sweat.

One thing he did know was that Max was trying to tell him something he just didn't know what, but he would find out that much he knew for sure, he would find out the meaning to all his dreams if it killed him, and the only time he could do that was when he was asleep.

Sam looked up from the laptop and sighed he was tired in fact he was beyond tired, he was getting little if no sleep at night, his brothers frantic tossing and turning, murmured words escaping his mouth keeping him up.

Sam shook his head and a ghost of a smile crept across his face he had never thought he would have found out what Dean felt like when he was taking care of him after Jess had died but here he was, it was like him and Dean had changed places. Sam was the protective brother and Dean was the one who needed protecting.

Sam had known that things were going to be hard for Dean he had seen the broken look in his eyes when he had cradled Max's limp body to his chest as he looked at him with those pleading eyes begging for him to change what had happened.

He knew it was going to be hard but he had never knew how hard, well he hadn't until four days after her death and he had caught Dean at a cross roads summoning a demon.

Flash Back

"_It didn't work" Dean said pivoting on the spot his eyes turning to his brother, Sam furrowed his brow and bit his lip, his eyes wondering down to the freshly dug dirt and he felt his heart leap in his chest._

"_Why didn't it work" Dean questioned this time his body turning away from Sam his body falling to the floor his hands kicking up at the dirt._

"_I did everything I was supposed to, it should have worked, why didn't it" Sam had to swallow as he attempted to get some moisture back in to his throat so he could talk. Emotions from Dean was one thing he was not used to, usually they just skirted around the subject like that had been for the past couple of days, but now Dean was talking to him with such emotion filled voice Sam just wanted to fall to the ground and scoop him into his arms._

"_I dunno" Sam replied because what else could he say, there wasn't anything he could say to make what had happened ok, there was nothing he could say, or do that would bring back Max, and apparently neither could summoning a cross road demon._

_Dean turned his head to his brother, his eyes filled with tears that he refused to let fall his head tilted to the side ever so slightly, he couldn't believe he had thought he could bring her back, bring her back and that everything would be ok, because deep down in his heart he knew it would ever be ok, knew it would never be the same as it had been before she died._

"_I just want her back Sammy" Dean replied his head dropping and turning away from his brothers gaze, he couldn't bear the look of pain and sadness on his brothers face, it was his job to be the big brother, to make the pain go away, weakness and emotions were not his thing, but as hard as he tried to make it go away it just wouldn't, it was always there like a constant throb in his heart._

_He heard the light thud of someone sitting down at the side of him and he turned his head ever so slowly. He gulped and took in a breath when he saw Sam sitting next to him; he closed his eyes and allowed his brother to pull him to his chest._

"_I would give anything for you not to have felt this kind of pain" Sam muttered against his head._

End Flash back

From that day things had gotten worse, it was after that night that the dreams had started, Sam had been actually shocked they hadn't stated before that night. He had asked about them the next morning and Dean had snapped at him to mind his own business, he had tried two more times after that and had gotten the same response so he had just stopped asking.

But Sam knew it had something to do with Max, he had heard her name pass over his brothers lips as he tossed and turned his hands stretching out in front of him, his face contorted in pain.

Sam didn't know what to do had no idea to help him, not that Dean would let him help him, as per dean just wanted to be left alone so he could deal with things his own way, a bottle of jack and as many suicidal hunts he could manage.

Sam sighed and shut the lap top in front of him, he wasn't going to find anything tonight he was to tired and his eyes were barely focusing on the screen, the words were just blurring together making it impossible for him to concentrate.

With one final sigh he pushed the lap top completely away from him and with a quick note to his father letting him no he had gone to bed and not to worry he headed in the direction of the bedroom to find that Dean was already asleep.

Sam smiled in his direction and pulled the covers over his brother's body, he turned his head and saw that his brother had once again been looking at the letter Max had written him before she died and he gave a sad shake of the head.

"Let her go man she's gone" Sam muttered before getting in to his own bed his eyes wondering over to dean with worry

Little did Sam know was that Max was in deed alive, stuck in hell with something far far worse then the demon she had killed, and Dean was her only hope, and if he didn't figure out the meaning soon, then she truly would be gone.


	2. Chapter 2

Thank Amy for reviewing this story im glad you like this one as much as the first one

Within a dream

John was tired not the im going to go to sleep and everything will be fine in the morning tired, but the deep to the core tired. He cracked his neck and ran a callus hand over his face. The demon was finally dead the thing that had ruined not only his life and his children's life but god knows how many others lives was dead. But John wished more then anything that they hadn't lost what they had to make sure the demon was dead.

If he could take back that day then he would do it in a heartbeat, the last year alone had taught him that he had done so many things wrong by his children and he had just started getting back the lost time, had just started bonding with his children and seeing the wrongs that he had done by them. He had learned that there were more important things in this life then killing the demon, and if turning back the time and letting the demon go meant that his son was happy and smiling with the women he loved then he would do it with out a back ward glance.

With a tired sigh he looked down at the envelope in his hands it was addressed to him in the same cursive writing he associated with Max. He had been rummaging around his room for one of his old journals for a hunt that he might have found, when it had fallen out of the journal he had been looking for, at first he hadn't been sure what he had been looking at, and then his heart began to pound.

He had seen the letter that Max had sent to Dean had read the words that proved just how much Max knew his eldest son. So when he had seen the letter with his name on the front he didn't know what to expect because in his mind there was nothing she could tell him that she hadn't already.

So that's why he was sitting at the kitchen table with the envelope still sat un opened in front of him. He knew deep down in his soul that whatever this letter contained wasn't going to be good that it was going to rock the already shaky foundations of both his sons' worlds.

He looked over at eh kitchen door making sure that both his sons were still in their rooms fast asleep, he listed for what seemed like ages making sure that the house was indeed quite like it should be for four in the morning, and with a wary sigh he grabbed his pocket knife and slipped it under the seal.

He pulled out the letter and for the first time since finding the letter he realized his hands were shaking, and for the first time in a long time he realized that he was deathly afraid, it was bad enough Max was dead, he knew some day in the future Dean would get over it, he would move on, he would stop his mourning and except her death. But whatever this letter contained he knew it was going to change everything they believed in, he just hoped to god that it didn't say anything that would give Dean false hope of bringing her back.

Quickly un folding the letter John Winchester was assaulted with emotion as he quickly scanned the letter his eyes taking in her cursive writing, and for the first time since she had died he allowed a small tear escape. He had to be strong for his boys, for Jo and Ellen so he hadn't allowed himself to mourn hadn't allowed himself to show any type of emotion.

Sam at one point had reverted back to his old self and they had ended up arguing were Sam had called him and un caring son of a Bitch and it was his fault that Dean was suffering because Max was dead. John knew Sam hadn't meant it, knew that it had just been anger and loss talking but it had still hurt none the less.

So in the room when know one else, when he was all alone he allowed the emotion he had been holding in for so long and allowed it to over spill. He held his head in hands while he willed his body back under control, this letter was important any thing else could wait, his emotions had waited for this long they could wait for just a little longer.

_John_

_If you are reading this then that means the demon is dead, it means I am dead, you can yell at me later John but right now I need you to listen, but first things first Sam and Dean can not know about this letter not until you are sure it is right, you'll no when that time is trust me._

_After Dean told me about the demon needing me to be evil in order for him to access my amulets powers I began experiencing very vivid dreams, im sure you noticed the change in me. I watched you all die John, I watched Dean die in my arms and I watched Sam kill him, I watched him kill you before the demon allowed him to kill himself. I wasn't going to let that happen, so I took things into my own hands._

_I let the demon play into his own needs, I in sense trapped him by what he wanted, the need of having more power out weighed the fact I was a hunter and would not willing turn evil, it was his greed that killed him._

_But my dreams did show me more then one thing and believe me John your work is only just beginning, you see the demon had a boss, the demon was taking orders from something much worse then himself, im not sure what but im going to find out. _

_Right now im in hell by my own choice before I died I had resisted a ritual im sure your aware of which one I speak, if not it's in my journal under hell. I willingly sent myself to hell._

_Time is running out John, the other demon is planning on surfacing, you need to pull resources, you need to find out what you can, you have to be strong to survive this, you need to make Dean understand, you need to make Sam see._

_There is a way back, Time is running out._

_Max_

John let the letter fall to the table in font of him and he fell back into the chair what ever he had been expecting he had prayed that it wouldn't have been that, the letter was preety simple really, Max had seen their plan go down the toilot and in stead of telling any one else she ahd taken it upon herself to get rid of the demon, and before that she had done a extremely complex ritual that would send herto hell the second she died.

She was right John thought, there was no way in hell he could show either of his sons this letter because if they ever realized she had deliberately killed and sent herself to hell it would destroy them.

John leant forward into the chair most of the letter made sense while other parts didn't, picking up the letter he quickly re scanned it, trust Max to be cryptic on the important parts. What was he meant to make Dean understand and just what was Sam meant to see? He sighed this letter held more then he could understand, if he knew Max it held a lot. But what was getting to him more then the fact there was another demon because he could deal with that, no what was bothering him was the last line.

There is a way back, time is running out.

That sentence alone made his blood run cold, because if it meant what he thought it meant then he knew time truly was running out, because he knew from research and other hunters that was more specialised in the ritual Max had used, that once a person choose to go to hell there was only a certain time span for them to get back out.

With a muttered curse he roughly pushed himself away from the table and headed to the calendar that was hung loosely on the wall, his eyes quickly scanning it.

She had died on May 14 it was now May 23 9 days since Max had died, this time when he cursed it wasn't as quite as he would have liked and his face drained of colour his heart beat increasing to deadly levels.

They had six days, six days before it was too late for Max and she was lost forever.


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to every single last person who has reviewed this story hope you all continue to enjoy it.

Within a Dream

Sam sat up his bed his breath coming out in quick pants, sweat dripped from his forehead matting his hair to his head; he brought a hand up only to realize that they were shaking. He took in a deep breath and let it out slowly trying to calm his panting heart.

His eyes travelled over to Dean to make sure that his dream hadn't woke him, and gave a depressed sigh when he saw that Dean was locked in his own nightmare, he just prayed to what ever god was out there that the dream he wasn't having was the dream Sam had just been forced endure.

He fell back down on to the pillows and pulled the cover up to his chin and curled it in to his side while a tear escaped his eye. He wanted nothing more then his big brother to take him into his arms and tell him it was ok, but that would require telling him what the dream had been about, and he knew he could never tell him that, because telling him that Max was suffering in hell would surly make him do something more stupid then summoning a cross road demon.

He closed his eyes with a puff of breath and the images he had been assaulted with only minuets before came back full force, but this wasn't a dream, this was a full on vision, a vision so strong, that he screamed out in pain, as his vision danced with stars and spots he felt warm liquid travel down his nose and his entire world tipped on an axis as he sub comed to the darkness that was calling to him.

_Max looked around the chamber she was currently sitting in, her back was firm against the wall and her breath was coming out in quick bursts as she tried to catch her breath. She had just sprinted for the last ten minuets as she tried to flee from a group of hell hounds, she had only narrowly escaped as she dived into the small space that only just held her. The only problem was when she had dived in it had been at an odd angle and she hit her left arm with a pretty significant amount of force, jarring her bone out of the socket._

_She took in a shallow breath as she felt around trying to access just how bad it was, she winced in pain and looked around desperately making sure she didn't make to much noise, if they found her in her current condition then she was screwed. _

_She braced her body against the black wall and tilted her head back her eyes forced closed, normally she would have someone to hold her steady so she would flinch away as the bone was forced back into the socket, and once again she was forced with the memory she was entirely alone, in the worse place she could ever be. _

_Come on Dean she thought to herself, she had hoped he would have figured out the dreams by now, she had tried for the last week or so to contact him, sending him images of what could be and then of her dying and of flames and brimstone, but so far there was nothing, so she had made the desperate mistake of reaching out to Sam. That's what had alerted the hell hounds to her presence._

_She had been in hell for nine days and with her link she shared with Dean she had been able to contact him when he was no longer on the physical plain, when he was asleep and there for the hell hounds hadn't been able to latch onto the extra surge in power she had been able to stay under radar and up until today she had been in hell undetected. _

_But contacting Sam had been totally different she had been forced to tap into the power source that was hell, she knew it was going to be risky but in six days she was going to be stuck with no way back, she had to try something and she knew that maybe just maybe Sam would get the hint quicker then his brother had, after all he had visions of Jess and she knew he would do something this time._

_She gritted her teeth as she forced her bone back into the socket and she felt moisture on her cheek where a tear had escaped her eyes. She gasped when she heard a low growl outside the entrance to the chamber and she quickly and franticly looked around, trying in vain to look for another way out. But the only exit was the cabin entrance where the hell hounds were now stood in wait._

_With a blast she was thrown back against the cabin wall as the front collapsed and blinding red light glared at her, both of her hands came up to protect her eyes._

"_Well Max it certainty is a pleasure to finally meet you" Max lowered her eyes as she looked up at the black figure in front of her and she felt herself being raised from the floor and pulled closer to the demon in front of her._

_She gasped in pain and tried to wither away as the demon grabbed hold of her chin and forced her closer to his face, so close that she could see that one side of his face was completely blacked, she looked away repulsed._

"_Take her to my chamber I want a guard on her at all times, she is not to try that stunt again" The demon commanded_

_Max looked around to see the hell hounds advance and she gave a sob, she had survived 9 days in hell for it to all end when she was so close. _

_O god Dean I am so sorry, she thought before her own world went blank._

Dean rocked back on his knees as he took in his bothers deathly pale face, he had been woken by his cry of pain and by the time he had gotten out of bed and to his side his brother had been barley breathing his entire front and face covered with his blood.

He had panicked and called out to his father as he quickly pulled his brother onto his side so he could check for any injury as so he could get more air into his air ways. He had grasped hold of his brothers hand as he begged him to hang on, begged him to open his eyes that he couldn't lose him to.

He had stayed that way until his father had burst through the door with his gun in his hand only for it to clatter to the floor when he saw his youngest son covered in blood and he had thought the worse.

"He's alive…I don't know what happened" Dean whispered when he felt his father drop to his side

"He'll be ok son" John had assured him laying a comforting hand on his shoulder

That had been half an hour ago, half an hour in which Sammy hadn't woken up, half an hour in which Dean thought he was going to lose his brother as well. A sharp gasp from the bed had Dean turning around so fast Dean swore he saw the room tilt to one side.

But when Sam spoke Dean knew the room had tilted, that he was still laying in his bed having yet another nightmare about Max, because what Sam said couldn't possibly be right. Right?

"Max is alive…o god she's alive"


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks to every one that has reviewed sorry I have taken so long to update but things have been hectic, plus im going on me hols next week, so don't expect an update after the 20th.

Within a Dream

Day one

Dean stood leaning against the wall his eyes fixed firmly on the piece of paper that was sat opened on the table in front of him. He had read it over ten times yet he still couldn't believe it, he could not believe that Max had made that decision, that she hadn't told him. He just couldn't get his head around it and now they only had five days to find a way out.

His eyes drifted over to his brother who was sat in the chair his face slightly pale and Dean could tell he was trying to figure everything out just like he was. So many things didn't make sense but one thing was for sure, there was something out there that was worse then the demon and it had Max.

"How do we get her back" Dean questioned his eyes wondering back to his father.

John looked over at his eldest son and lowered his gaze in guilt, he had wanted to tell them in his own time, but now that wasn't possible and both of his sons hated him for it. He told himself over and over that he had been doing what was best for them, that he was going to wait until there was a way to bring her back, but in truth he wasn't, he wasn't going to tell them, because he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to bring her back.

Max had been in hell for over a week, John had no idea what that could do to someone, he had heard the stories, all hunters had. Once you were in hell it changed a person. There was only one known person who had been in hell and had managed to come back, and only days later he had gone on a killing spree only to have his sister kill him. John did not want to put that on his son's shoulders, could he really risk them having Max to hunt as well as this new demon, what ever this demon was.

"Dad" Sam spoke up his eyes searching his fathers, he could read in his eyes the truth and felt his blood boil, but he knew Dean hadn't seen it, hadn't realized what their father had really wanted, so he decided it would be best not to say anything.

"Ive got Ash and Bobby on it now, but we have to face the possibility that there is no way back" Dean snapped his head to his father and shook his head

"No Max said there was, she wouldn't have gone down there without a way back"

John took in a breath trying to think of a way he could word his next sentence, his eldest son was in a volatile mood and he didn't want to say anything that would turn that rage or anger on to him.

"Dean she may have not known, the ritual she is talking about is very old school, the ritual to open the portal may no longer exist" Sam replied for his father, he may not agree with him but he knew he was trying.

Dean shook his head and looked over at both his father and little brother; he leant forward onto the table and stared his father in the eye.

"No Max would not risk not being able to come back; she wouldn't have done it innless she was certain there was a way"

Dean took in a breath and collapsed onto the chair opposite his brother, the last day had been so hectic everything just came falling back around his shoulders. But no matter what he did he could not get his head around the fact Max had chosen hell, she had died and chosen hell.

"There's a way, there is" Dean said softly his gaze lifting. He took in a breath and looked over at his father.

"There has to be, I can't let her go now I know"

Dean sounded so lost that Sam felt even more lost, he knew that Dean had been struggling with her death and up until last night he hadn't truly known how much. To see Max suffering the way she was just broke his heart. He knew the risks had researched the ritual, and knew that what they brought back may never be fully Max, but Sam knew Dean would die before they stopped trying, and that wasn't something Sam was willing to risk.

"Dean's right Max knew there was a way back or she wouldn't have gone down there" Sam said turning his attention to his father. It was just to painful to look at his brother to see the same pain in his eyes that he had seen in his after Jess was just to much.

John took in a breath and let it out in a puff; he shook his head slowly and thought of a way to word what he was going to say next. He knew it was going to hurt both his sons but it was something they both had to ask themselves.

"Wouldn't she?" Both Sam and Dean snapped their heads to John their brows raised in confused and anger.

"think about the last week, the change in her, maybe she wanted to make sure there was never a way for any demon to use her power source, and being in hell is the perfect way" John finished, he had been thinking about it for a while, ever since he had gotten the letter, he knew it was a long shot, but he was going to do everything in his power to make sure she didn't come back, it was just a risk they couldn't take.

"What are you saying, huh? She's leading us on some wild goose chase, she wants us to find a way she told us" Dean shouted shoving himself away from the table his anger rising as his hands curled into fists as his sides.

He could not believe his father, the one person he thought could understand and he wanted to keep her in hell, he of all people should no what it was like down there, no what she is going through.

He shook his head and looked over at his father and then to his brother who had yet to say anything but was staring at his father with a look of disgust. With a quick intake of breath he looked at his father once again before storming out of the kitchen.

They had five days to find a way to bring her back, five days in which to make it happen. And Dean Winchester wasn't going to waste a single second. Max was coming home even if it killed him.


	5. Chapter 5

I thought it was about time I updated this story, I hope you all like this update and the ones to come, let me know if there is anything that you would like to see in this story and ill try and make it happen, in fact I will make it happen.

Within A Dream

Day 2

Dean ran a callused hand over his tried face and arched his back into the chair his hands stretching in to the air. He heard his back crack in protest before straightening out his body. It was day two in his hunt for a way to get Max back and so far nothing had been turned up. Sam had contacted any one he could think of, every hunter that might no of the ritual that they needed but none of them had gotten back to them, it was a waiting game, a game they couldn't afford to loose.

He sighed to himself and squinted his eyes down at the letter Max had sent his father, he could almost see her writing it, her mouth slightly open her head tilted to the side, her face scrunched in concentration as she tried to find the words she had to say.

Sam had been researching all night on the ritual she had used and the amount of energy and power it had taken. But none of that bothered Dean, all that mattered was the fact Max had never died, the ritual she cast altered the nexus and for one week and six days made people see and believe she was dead, but after those six days the flux would be altered and any hope of opening up the gateway would be lost, and so would Max.

Slamming the book shut with a frustrated sigh he had to quell the urge to throw it across the room, he had been up for nearly twelve hours solid, ever since Sam had awoken him in the early hours of yesterday morning, things had taken a drastic turn. He had been studying and researching every available resource he could get his hands on, isolating himself from his friends and family, only one thing at the moment mattered and that was getting Max back alive and well, after that he would face anything and everything he had to as long as Max was still by his side.

"I bring bearing coffee" Dean turned his head to the voice and scowled slightly. Jo entered the room and smiled warmly in the direction of Dean. She hesitated in the doorway slightly before walking over to the table and placed the coffee cup at the side of him.

"I don't want it" Dean mumbled before pulling another book over to him. Jo rolled her eyes and sighed, she hesitantly looked over at the door before pulling up a chair and sitting down at the side of him.

"Look Dean I know things are kinda hectic right now, and you want to find a way to bring Max back, but she wouldn't want this, you're working yourself into the ground and it's only been one day. Dean she loved you, don't kill yourself trying to save her"

Jo placed her hand on softly on top of Deans and smiled over at him, she bit the side of her mouth and hoped she hadn't over stepped the mark, and that Dean wouldn't start shouting at her.

Dean lowered his gaze before looking over at her; he nodded his head and ran a hand through his hair.

"Your right Jo, we just don't have time, I don't have time" Jo laughed and Dean snapped his neck in her direction, his brow raised in confusion and warning. Jo shook her head and leant back into her seat. She really was surprised that Dean didn't get it yet, that after all this time of working together he still didn't get it.

"Dean you don't have to do this on your own, you have a family out there that love Max as much as you do, you don't have to do this alone" She patted him on the shoulder before pushing her self away from the table and walking out of the door.

Sam came to a stop and raised a shocked brow when he saw Jo coming out of the room he knew for a fact Dean was in researching like he had been for the last god knows how long.

"I already took him some make sure he drinks it" Jo said nodding her head in the direction of the coffee cup that Sam was holding in his hands. Sam looked down and nodded his head.

He had never in all his life thought he would ever be this worried for his brother, it was like he was watching him waste away in front of him, it had become worse since he had found out that Max was alive, well alive as she could be, considering she was in hell.

He smiled his thanks at Jo and handed her the coffee cup while juggling a bunch of papers in his right hand. JO looked down at them and Sam shrugged his shoulders, his eyes wondering down to the papers that contained more research.

"We cant find the ritual until we find the ritual that put her down there in the first place, you know Max she couldn't just leave it in a place we could find it" Sam joked half heartedly, seconds were ticking by and with each second they wasted, was a second lost at getting her back.

"Yea she never could do things by half, but she wouldn't have done this without knowing for a fact you guys would figure it out, tell you want ill check her room" Jo suggested, for nothing more then the fact she hated feeling useless while every one was out doing something.

Sam ran a hand over his face and through his hair before nodding his head in understanding; he knew what it felt to feel like the odd one out.

"Go ahead Dean already checked but you knew her better you might catch something that we missed" Jo nodded her head and watched as Sam entered the room she only seconds ago had vacated, she sighed tidely and with a small prayer she turned and headed in the direction of Max's room.

John placed the phone back on the hook and leant back in his chair, the book he had been flipping through lay forgotten on the table in front of him. He had just gotten of the phone with an old friend, a friend who studied in the art of magic Max had used to get herself sent to hell.

Leaning forward in the char a smile tugged at the corner of his mouth but he couldn't help the worry and doubt that was eating away at him, if either of his sons found out what he was doing then they would never speak to him again, they wouldn't understand why he was doing what he was doing or for what means.

He had just instructed his old friend to destroy the ritual if he came across it within the next five days, now all he hoped was neither of his sons came across it first.

They would hate him for a while of that he was certain, especially Dean but in the long run both of them would understand that he was keeping Max in hell for their own good, they could not risk opening that gateway, if they did it wasn't just Max they would bring back, there was something much worse then the demon down in hell and it would walk through the gateway the minuet the gate was open. He could not let that happen, and they didn't even no if Max would truly be Max, no he was doing what he knew needed to be done.

Then why did it feel so wrong?

_Max struggled against the bounds that were keeping her tied in place, her arms were stretched above her head and her feet were tied to the floor, the side of her face was bleeding and she could taste blood in her mouth. She wanted to scream out, the strain on her injured arm was causing stars to appear in front of her face and was making it hard to focus. _

_She needed to focus she needed to get out the chamber she was in, she needed to get out into the open and keep herself hidden until it was time for her to get to the gateway, and back to the real world and Dean. _

_She let out a small moan of pain and scrunched her eyes shut, she could feel the sweet rolling down the side of her face and could feel her whole body working against the pain, working to stay awake, she knew if she gave into it then she would truly be lost. _

_She had to get out, she had to get past the hell hounds that were guarding the door way, had to warn the Winchesters about the new demon and his plans of opening the gateway full time and spilling hell over onto the earth, she had to warn them, had to stop it from happening. _

_She opened her eyes and a tear escaped the corner of her eye, she had never fully realized just how screwed she was until this moment. _

_If she couldn't get out of this room by the end of her five days and the Winchesters opened the gateway then she was screwed and she would never be able to go home. _

_Everything now lied on the Winchesters finding the ritual and her ability of getting out of the chamber, because if she failed then so did the world. _

_Because everyone on earth would truly feel what hell really was, and that was something she was not going to let happen. _


	6. Chapter 6

Ok here it is, I am so very sorry that I haven't had this up sooner but as I have said in my other story things have been hectic as of late. I wont go in it here but trust me things have been hectic, any way on with the story,

Within a dream

Day 5

Dean threw the tattered book across the room with a frustrated growl; it was the fifth book in less than two days that had formed the small pile at the bottom of the wall. He shook his head and ran a hand over his face, falling hopelessly into the chair behind him, his head dropping into his hands.

He hated himself for falling her, for falling the one person who he cared about most in the world other then Sammy. She had died so they could live and he failed her. She left all the clues, they had found them all, but this one, it was beyond impossible to find. There were god knows how many books in the world, and all they wanted was one. The one book that would get her back, and they had two days to find it. They were facing opposition in every direction, and the one person Dean needed support from the most was trying everything he could to stop them finding a way to help her. His father, the one person he thought would understand the most, and he was hindering them.

"Hey man" Sam smiled sadly down at his brother his gaze drifting ever so slowly over to the wall where he saw the book his brother had been reading now lying open on the floor. He sighed and seated himself opposite his brother.

"No look" It wasn't a question he could tell the answer by the desperate look on his brothers face. Dean shook his head not daring to speak, it had been like that for a while now, all he did was sleep and read, hardly eating and virtually never talking to any one.

"We will find it" Sam said with a little conviction in his voice, Dean snapped his gaze over to Sam. He shook his head tiredly.

"How huh we have two days, in less we have a miracle we aren't going to do this, I failed her," Sam raised a shocked brow, but he knew this was coming had known it for a while, there was only so long Dean could keep himself closed of before snapping.

"Dean" Dean pushed himself away from the table angrily turning it over as he went, Sam scrabbled backwards grabbing hold of his brothers arm, only to have it reached from his grasp.

"Don't" Dean snarled striding out of his room, leaving Sam looking after him a helpless look over his face, feeling more alone now then he had ever felt in his life.

"_Please" Max all but begged her eyes glistening as she looked up into the black soulless eyes of the demons boss. He smirked biting his lip as he allowed his gaze to wonder over her broken and bloody body._

"_You know you could make this so much easier for yourself" Max lifted her head slowly trying to ignore the throbbing pain that was her body. She took in a sharp intake of breath as her neck caught, the muscle screaming out in pain, she bit her lip drawing blood. _

"_Go. To. Hell" She spat her eyes narrowing anger showing across her bloody face. Her lip was bleeding from where she had just bit it and her left eye was swollen shut. _

_The demon draw back his eyes narrowing as he regarded her, he had to admit she was become more hassle then she was worth, but through her he knew he could get what he really wanted, Samuel Winchester. He stepped back his cloak sweeping behind him, he titled his head and smirked up at her._

_Max forced herself to look at him, he heart beat increasing slightly, she had been under his, she couldn't call it care no could she, care was something nice, this was less then nice, this was torture, she was lucky to be alive, she knew if she was on the waking plane, earth, then the beatings she was receiving daily would have killed her long ago. She set her face in stone staring defiantly down at him, all she had to do was last two more days, two more days and this would be over. She never once thought that Dean or Sam would let her down, because if she did that then she was admitting defeat and she might as well give in. she wasn't going to do that, she was getting out, and she was going to take this mother f down._

"_Your going to pay for that severally Max Dawson" Max bit back the retort knowing that if she provoked him it would be a hell of a lot worse, she was already going to be in poor shape when she got back, she didn't need to be any worse, or she would be good to know one in the up coming war._

"_Bring it on your b" _

_The demon smirked, he really did like her, most of the others would have given in by now, they could only with stand so much before they were begging at his feet. Max as of yet had refused to give him what he needed, no matter how badly him and his hell hounds beat her now, how many means of torture devices they used. She refused to give up the one person who could end it all. But that would change, he would break her, if it was the last thing he would do, Max Dawson would beg at his feet like all the others did, and then the world truly would be his._

"_Have it your way" He growled he turned his cloak swishing around his body, his eyes flashed red and the low growl of the hell hounds drifted around the room. He heard Max whimper quietly, he chuckled to himself._

"_Do what you need to"_

Dean sighed and slid down the tree his eyes glistening with unshed tears as he looked out at the river. He was sat in the clearing the place he had first kissed Max, the place he first realized how deep his feelings for her were. He remembered her telling him that this place just oozed calm, she would come here when things were hectic and relax. He wished the same thing could be said for him, he felt the natural power of the clearing flowing over his body, forcing its way into his pores, but even the power couldn't sooth him. It couldn't rid the feeling of such patheticnes. He had let her down, he had failed her.

He closed his eyes his head lolling back against the hard bark of the tree, letting his thoughts wonder he hoped that what ever he needed would find its way to him, because he really was at lose. They had tried everything. Never in a million years did he think that his father had the book locked away in his draw, planning on destroying it the second he could. He never imagined his own father would betray him, never.

"_It didn't work" Dean said pivoting on the spot his eyes turning to his brother, Sam furrowed his brow and bit his lip, his eyes wondering down to the freshly dug dirt and he felt his heart leap in his chest._

"_Why didn't it work" Dean questioned this time his body turning away from Sam his body falling to the floor his hands kicking up at the dirt._

"_I did everything I was supposed to, it should have worked, why didn't it" Sam had to swallow as he attempted to get some moisture back in to his throat so he could talk. Emotions from Dean was one thing he was not used to, usually they just skirted around the subject like that had been for the past couple of days, but now Dean was talking to him with such emotion filled voice Sam just wanted to fall to the ground and scoop him into his arms._

"_I dunno" Sam replied because what else could he say, there wasn't anything he could say to make what had happened ok, there was nothing he could say, or do that would bring back Max, and apparently neither could summoning a cross road demon._

Deans eyes snapped open his body shooting to his feet, he felt his breaths coming out in quick bursts as that day came back to him, he could remember the cold face of the cross road demon, the flash of red, the beauty, the pain when she said she couldn't help. The pleasure as he shot her over and over again, never registering that it was a human being. he was destroying, he just wanted her to feel the pain he was, even a little.

He touched the bare skin of his neck, the place where the amulet should have hung, it had been there all along, the thing to kill the demon, hanging so innocently around the necks of two un suspecting hunters. He squinted his eyes as another memory came back to him, but could it really be that easy.

_John_

_If you are reading this then that means the demon is dead, it means I am dead, you can yell at me later John but right now I need you to listen, but first things first Sam and Dean can not know about this letter not until you are sure it is right, you'll no when that time is trust me._

_After Dean told me about the demon needing me to be evil in order for him to access my amulets powers I began experiencing very vivid dreams, im sure you noticed the change in me. I watched you all die John, I watched Dean die in my arms and I watched Sam kill him, I watched him kill you before the demon allowed him to kill himself. I wasn't going to let that happen, so I took things into my own hands._

_I let the demon play into his own needs, I in sense trapped him by what he wanted, the need of having more power out weighed the fact I was a hunter and would not willing turn evil, it was his greed that killed him._

_But my dreams did show me more then one thing and believe me John your work is only just beginning, you see the demon had a boss, the demon was taking orders from something much worse then himself, im not sure what but im going to find out. _

_Right now im in hell by my own choice before I died I had resisted a ritual im sure your aware of which one I speak, if not it's in my journal under hell. I willingly sent myself to hell._

_Time is running out John, the other demon is planning on surfacing, you need to pull resources, you need to find out what you can, you have to be strong to survive this, you need to make Dean understand, you need to make Sam see._

_There is a way back, Time is running out._

_Max_

He smiled to himself suddenly finding them all stupid for never seeing it, the only time he had ever seen her was when he was asleep. He had always thought he was just remembering her, remembering the way she looked the way she felt, the way she smelt. But now he knew, he knew what needed to be done, new how to get her back.

And it scared the crap out of him, because he was going to have to go into hell for her.


End file.
